�The what, Mrs. Manstey?� inquired the landlady, glancing about the room as if to find there the explanation of Mrs. Manstey�s statement.
�The magnolia in the next yard—in Mrs. Black�s yard,� Mrs. Manstey repeated.
�Is it, indeed? I didn�t know there was a magnolia there,� said Mrs. Sampson, carelessly. Mrs. Manstey looked at her; she did not know that there was a magnolia in the next yard!
�By the way,� Mrs. Sampson continued, �speaking of Mrs. Black reminds me that the work on the extension is to begin next week.�
�The what?� it was Mrs. Manstey�s turn to ask.
�The extension,� said Mrs. Sampson, nodding her head in the direction of the ignored magnolia. �You knew, of course, that Mrs. Black was going to build an extension to her house? Yes, ma�am. I hear it is to run right back to the end of the yard. How she can afford to build an extension in these hard times I don�t see; but she always was crazy about building. She used to keep a boarding-house in Seventeenth Street, and she nearly ruined herself then by sticking out bow-windows and what not; I should have thought that would have cured her of building, but I guess it�s a disease, like drink. Anyhow, the work is to begin on Monday.�
Mrs. Manstey had grown pale. She always spoke slowly, so the landlady did not heed the long pause which followed. At last Mrs. Manstey said: �Do you know how high the extension will be?�
�That�s the most absurd part of it. The extension is to be built right up to the roof of the main building; now, did you ever?�
Mrs. Manstey paused again. �Won�t it be a great annoyance to you, Mrs. Sampson?� she asked.
�I should say it would. But there�s no help for it; if people have got a mind to build extensions there�s no law to prevent �em, that I�m aware of.� Mrs. Manstey, knowing this, was silent. �There is no help for it,� Mrs. Sampson repeated, �but if I am a church member, I wouldn�t be so sorry if it ruined Eliza Black. Well, good-day, Mrs. Manstey; I�m glad to find you so comfortable.�